Mixing and pouring adapter for cans



Sept. 13, 1966 LAWYER MIXING AND POURING ADAPTER FOR CANS Filed July 23, 1965 INVENTOR N oah Lawyer BY Uta-Z4 z fiqwui ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,272,395 MIXING AND POURING ADAPTER FUR (IANS Noah Lawyer, 45 Lehigh Ave, Rochester, Nil. Filed July 23, 1965, Ser. No. 474,444 Claims. ((31. 222-189) This is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 299,877, filed August 5, 1963.

The present invention relates to a mixing and pouring adapter for cans, such as paint cans.

An object of the invention is to provide a tubular member to form an adapter for a paint can or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tubular member formed to have one end engage in the open end of a can for tightly engaging the inner edge of the can forming the opening to support the adapter with the outer end, or cover receiving portion of the adapter, projecting outwardly beyond the open end of the can to form an extension on the open end of the can, to facilitate the mixing of paint in the can, to provide a convenient adapter for a can to facilitate pouring the paint out of the can, and for preventing paint from running into the groove in the open end of the can which receives the cover.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an adapter for cans, such as paint cans and the like, having a tubular member formed with a can engaging end portion at one end of the member for engaging in the open end of a can in telescoping relation and having a tapered outer wall for engaging the edge of the can about the opening therein for mounting the adapter in the can in fluidtight relation with the opposite end of the tubular member extending outwardly from the can and formed at the outer end to detachably receive the cover so the opening in the adapter and the can may be closed when the can is not being used.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adapter for cans, such as paint cans, for insertion in the open end of a paint can to provide a tubular extension beyond the end of the paint can, which is larger than the opening in the can and adapted to receive the can coverin detachable relation, to close the open end of the adapter, while the inner or can engaging end of the tubular member is formed with an inwardly extending flange portion throughout a segmental portion of the tubular member which may be perforated for providing a filter to prevent scum and dirt from being poured out of a can through the adapter. Several diiferent screens may be detachably mounted on the segmental flange formed on the tubular member in order to provide for the use of fine screens to filter out small dirt particles.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adapter having a can engaging end formed to telescopically engage in the open end of a can, such as a paint can, into tight engagement with the can while the outer end or cover receiving end portion of the adapted is formed to receive the can engaging end portion of another duplicate adapted so that two or more adapters may be interengaged in liquid tight relation with one another to provide an extension beyond the open end of a can of a desired length to receive additional quantities of paint beyond the capacity of the can in which the interengaged adapters are mounted so the paint may be mixed therein in a convenient manner, filtered through filters mounted on one or more of the adapters and poured back and forth between two cans equipped with adapters.

Another object is the provision of an adapted having a slightly roughened or ridged or irregular outer surface, engaging with the edge of the can in which the adapter is used, to anchor the adapter more firmly in the can.

Still another object is the provision of a simple and efiicient method for making such an adapter and producing the desired roughened outer surface thereotf.

These and other desirable objects may be attained in the manner disclosed as an illustrative embodiment of the invention in the following description and in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which:

FIG. 1 shows the mixing and pouring adapter in perspective with portions broken away and shown in cross section to illustrate details of construction;

FIG. 2 shows a perforated segment formed Olf folded sheet material to provide a screen for filtering paint and similar liquids;

FIG. 3 is a plan View of the mixing and pouring adapter looking from the outer or cover receiving end portion thereof;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross section through the mixing and pouring adapter taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross section similar to FIG. 4 showing two adapters interenga'ged in telescoping relation with each other with the lower adapter engaged in the open end of a paint can, and the upper adapter engaging the can cover;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing a modified construction;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, showing a modified construction which is at present preferred, with a roughened outer surface on the adapter, the roughnesses being somewhat exaggerated for greater clarity;

FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of spinning apparatus for manufacturing the preferred construct-ion shown in FIG. 7, illustrating the method of manufacture; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the relationship of the tool to the roughened or grooved surface of the adapter.

The mixing and pouring adapter for cans is formed of a tubular member indicated at 2 made of circular shape in cross section where it is to be used with the usual cylindrical type cans, such as paint cans and the like. The tubular member 2 has a can engaging lower end portion 4 of smaller diameter or size than the upper end portion 8 which is formed integral with an intermediate portion 6. The can engaging end portion 4 is tapered from the inner to the outer or bottom end and has the size of both the inner and outer ends fixed in a predetermined manner to rfit a predetermined size of can so that the outer smaller end may be telescopically engaged in the open end of a can, such as a paint can 7, until a portion of the incline-d outer surface of can engaging end portion 4 inwardly from the free end thereof engages with the edge of the can in the opening at the top thereof so that the adapter can be wedged into the can with the can engaging end portion 4 in liquid tight engagement with the edge 7a of the can about the opening.

The opposite or upper end of the tubular member 2 is formed to provide an outer end or cover receiving portion 8 having a larger diameter at the outer end than at the inner or bottom end where it is joined with intermediate portion 6. The cover receiving portion 8 has a larger size than the can engaging end portion 4 with the intermediate portion 6 arranged to connect the offset inner edges to form an adapter that is imperforate and integral. The cover receiving end portion 8 has a fixed size determined by the size of the usual standard groove 9 in the top of the can cover 11 for the can 7 on which the adapter is to be used. The size and shape of the cover receiving end portion 8 is also fixed so that the outer surface of the portion 8 is tapered between the outer and inner ends thereof in such a way that the cover receiving end portion 8 of each adapter may be telescopically engaged in the cover receiving end portion 8 of another duplicate adapter in offset liquid tight relation, as shown in FIG. 5, to increase the effective length or height of the space within an adapter so that a plurality of adapters may be interfitted to hold a substantial quantity of liquid.

The outer free end of the cover receiving end portion 8 is formed with an outwardly extending annular flange 10 which may be of any suitable shape, such as a beaded or rolled construction as illustrated in FIG. 4. The size of the flange 10 between the inner and outer edges thereof is fixed so that it will have a tight friction fit in the groove 9 in the top of a can cover or lid 11, as shown in FIG. 5. The can cover or lid as shown in FIG. 5, is turned upside down so that the portion of the can cover normally at the top will be at the bottom in order that the groove 9 can frictionally engage over the flange 10 on the outer periphery of cover receiving end portion 8.

The free end of can engaging end portion 4 is formed with an inwardly extending radial flange 12 about at least a segment of the free end of the portion 4 and is shown extending about the marginal edge at the free end of can engaging end portion 4 in the several figures of the draw- A filter member 14 is formed of a piece of sheet metal or other similar sheet material perforated throughout its surface and folded at 16 with the edges of both portions of the filter member of arcuate form terminating in substantially coincident relation to form a filter segment. This filter segment is adapted to have the arcuate marginal portions thereof engaged over opposite faces of the inwardly extending radial flange 12, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The resiliency of the sheet material forming the arcuate segment of the folded filter member 14 will provide a gripping action on opposite sides of radial flange 12 for holding the filter member 14 in position on tubular member 2. If desired, the filter member 14 may be permanently attached to the tubular member as shown in FIG. 3, for example, by any suitable means such as rivets, welding or the like. It will be understood that filter members 14 may be made of various sizes of wire screen mesh as well as sheet metal so as to provide the desired type of filtering action for the removal of scum, paint particles, dirt and even fine particles of dust and the like from the paint as it is poured through the filter member and outwardly from the can through the adapter into another can. Also, the filter member is optional and may be omitted entirely, although its use is preferred.

Two or more tubular members 2 with or without a filter 14 applied to each adapter, may be frictionally interengaged with one another in stacked relation as shown by the pair of adapters shown in FIG. to provide additional paint holding capacity in a paint can or other type of liquid holding can where it is desired to mix liquids from two cans together. A sufficient number of adapters may be stacked one upon the other, as illustrated in FIG. 5, to hold two or more cans of paint in one can and the stacked adapters attached to the can in the manner herein described so that the liquid or paint may be mixed and then subsequently poured back out of the adapters into another can in a convenient manner.

A single adapter may be used with a filter member 14 for filtering the paint in a can to remove scum and other undesirable particles from the paint. A single adapter may be used in a can, in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5, to prevent liquid from running into the conventional groove which receives the cover. A single adapter may also be used With a paint can, for example, to prevent spilling of the paint into the cover receiving groove 21 in the paint can and also as a means for scraping the brush on the edge of the adapter.

The invention as herein shown and described provides a particularly useful attachment to paint cans of various sizes. The adapter may be made in various sizes to fit the different sizes of paint cans to facilitate the stirring of the paint and the insertion of the brush into the paint to avoid spilling paint from the can during the usual painting opl eration. It will be understood that the-adapter may be used for various types of finishes such as varnishes, lacquers, etc., as well as many other types of liquids which are stored in cans.

It will be further understood that the can cover may be applied to the adapter at the upper end of a series, or to a single adapter applied to a can so as to close the can against the entrance of air, against the evaporation of the paint thinner and to protect the paint against entry of dirt without removing the adapter or several inter-nested adapters applied to the can.

The shoulder or offset portion 6 adds some strength or rigidity to the construction, and thus is advatageous when the body is formed of light gage or thin sheet metal or other material, such as plastic. In many cases, however, the offset portion 6 may be omitted, and the portions 4 and 8 below and above it may be formed as a single continuous and smooth taper. When this is done, the bottom flange 12 is preferably made a little wider, to provide additional strength. An advantage of using a single continuous taper, not interrupted by a shoulder 6, is that the adapter structure may be used with cans having a greater variation in diameter of the opening in the top of the can, as the adapter may simply be pushed further down into the top opening of the can, to make a liquid-tight joint therewith, if the top opening of the can is a little larger than that of other cans of the same nominal capacity. Such a construction is illustrated in FIG. 6.

In many cases, it is satisfactory to form the article of smooth sheet metal, such as sheet aluminum, or sheet steel (galvanized or not, as preferred) formed or shaped by a stamping operation so that the surfaces of the metal remain smooth. However, it is preferred to form the article by a metal spinning operation, and spin it in such a way as to form small circumferential grooves on the tapered surface, so that the article will anchor itself more firmly in the mouth or top opening of the can in which it is used. This is illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, to which reference is now made.

FIG. 8 illustrates somewhat schematically, typical conventional metal spinning apparatus which is useful in making the present article in its preferred form. An electric motor 22 rapidly revolves the shaft 23 which carries the chuck 25. The flat sheet of metal to be spun is clamped between the end of the chuck 25 and the live or rotating tail stock 27, mounted in the tail stock holder 29.

As the sheet metal rotates rapidly, it is acted upon by a tool 31, held either by hand or'mechanically. Any suitable known form of mechanically held and operated tool may be used. If a hand tool is used, the tool is usually placed on a tool rest 33 on a cross slide 35. As well understood in the metal spinning art, the tool is manipulated so that the rapidly spinning sheet of metal is gradually shaped to the shape of the outside surface of the chuck 25, an intermediate stage of the shaping operation being shown in FIG. 8.

According to the present invention, a somewhat pointed tool 31 is used, which will leave a series of small grooves, or successive ridges and depressions, extending circumferentially around the outside surface of the tapered part of the adapter article. As the tool moves along the tapered surface from the small end to the large end of the adapter article, or vice versa, the grooves shown at 39 in a much enlarged or exaggerated size, will be somewhat spiral or somewhat like a screw thread, while if the tool is held stationary at any one point for a length of time, the groove at that point will go straight around the adapter rather than being spiral. It is entirely immaterial for purposes of the present invention whether the grooves are formed straight around the outer surface of the adapter or whether they are slightly spiral, since both forms of grooves operate very satisfactorily for present purposes. In the metal spinning art, there is often a final finishing and smoothing operation, sometimes called a planishing operation, but this is omitted in the present case because it is desired to leave the circumferentially extending grooves or ridges in the article, rather than to flatten them out.

After the spinning part of the operation is completed, various other finishing operations (other than planishing) may be performed in the usual way known in the art. The beaded edge may be formed as part of the spinning operation, or by a separate operation afterwards.

Although the circumferential ridges and grooves are quite small, it is found in practice that they add materially to the firmness with which the tapered adapter is seated in the opening in the top of the can with which it is to be used. This is illustrated in FIG. 7. There is enough springiness or resilience in the adapter of the present invention, and in the can with which it is used, to make the adapter and the can interlock with each other when the adapter is pressed firmly into the opening in the top of the can. Considerable force is required to dislodge the adapter from the can, when the adapter is made in this preferred form with the circumferentially grooved surface, but when suflicient manual force is exerted, the adapter can be removed, of course. Similarly, when one adapter is inserted telescopically into another, to provide increased height as in FIG. 5, the roughened surface on the outside of the upper adapter grips more firmly in the smooth inside surface of the lower adapter. Of course the screen shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 (or a screen of any other desired form) can be used with the adapter regardless of whether the outer surface is smooth or roughened, or the screen can be and frequently is entirely omitted.

It is seen from the foregoing disclosure that the objects and purposes of the invention are well fulfilled. It is to be understood that the foregoing dis-closure is given by way of illustrative example only, rather than by way of limitation, and that without departing from the invention, the details may be varied within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mixing and pouring adapter for cans, comprising a tubular member formed of a single piece of sheet metal of substantially uniform thickness open at opposite ends and formed with an imperforate frusto-conical can engaging portion at one end, an imperforate frusto-conical outer end portion at the opposite end, and an intermediate substanially radial flange portion joining the inner end of said can engaging portion to the larger sized inner end of the outer end portion, said can engaging portion having the inner end of larger transverse dimension than the outer end and having a tapered wall portion extending between the inner and outer ends for engaging in a can opening of predetermined size with the outer smaller end of said can engaging portion extending through the opening in said can, said tapered wall engaging said can around the inner edge of the opening therein and the inner end of said can engaging portion having a slightly larger transverse dimension than the can opening so the can engaging portion may be wedged in the can through the opening therein with the outer end projecting outwardly from the can, said can engaging end portion being formed with an inwardly extending radial flange and a folded filter member having the marginal portions at opposite ends embracing opposite sides of said flange and extending transversely over a segment of the opening in said can engaging end portion.

2. A mixing and pouring adapter for cans, comprising a tubular member formed of a single piece of sheet metal of substantially uniform thickness open at opposite ends and formed with an imperforate frusto-conical can engaging portion at one end, an imperforate frusto-conical outer end portion at the opposite end, and an intermediate substantially radial flange portion joining the inner end of said can engaging portion to the larger sized inner end of the outer end portion, said tubular member having the outer end portion formed with an outwardly extending flange portion formed to fit in the groove of a can cover for detachably mounting a can cover thereon, said can engaging portion having the inner end of larger transverse dimension than the outer end and having a tapered wall portion extending between the inner and outer ends for engaging in a can opening of predetermined size with the outer smaller end of said can engaging portion extending through the opening in said can, said tapered wall engaging said can around the inner edge of the opening therein and the inner end of said can engaging portion having a slightly large transverse dimension than the can opening so the can engaging portion may be wedged in the can through the opening therein with the outer end projecting outwardly from the can, said can engaging end portion being formed with an inwardly extending radial flange on at least a segment of the inner end thereof, and a filter screen having portions detachably engaged with opposite sides of and detachably mounted on said transversely and inwardly extending radial flange for filtering particles out of liquid poured out of the can through said filter screen and tubular member.

3. A mixing and pouring adapter for cans of flowable material such as paint, comprising a tubular member formed of a single piece of sheet metal of substantially uniform thickness, said tubular member being open at both ends and having substantially imperf 'orate side walls of generally frusto-conical shape tapering to be of decreasing diameter downwardly from an upper end of larger diameter than the opening in the top of the can to which it is to be applied, to a point intermediate the length of the tubular member, said side walls extending abruptly inwardly to a smaller diameter at said intermediate point and thence extending further in a downward direction and tapered to be of decreasing diameter to a lower end of slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of said opening in said can, so that the portion of said tubular member between said intermediate point and said lower end may be inserted into and tightly wedged in said opening in said can, a radially inwardly extending flange on at least a segment of said side walls, and a filter screen having portions engaged with opposite faces of and detachably mounted on said inwardly extending flange.

4. A mixing and pouring adapter for cans, comprising a tubular member open at both ends and formed of a single piece of sheet material initially of substantially uniform thickness throughout its area and shaped to provide a circumferentially continuous and laterally imperforate wall of substanially uniform axial length around its entire circumference and having at its lower end a frusto-conical portion of a size adapted to be thrust into and tightly wedged into a circular opening in the top of a can with which the adapter is to be used, an approximately radially inwardly extending strengthening flange extending circumerentially around said frusto-conical portion at the lower end thereof, and an outwardly turned beaded flange extending circumferentially around the upper end of said tubular member, the length, size, and shape of said tubular member being such that a plurality of such members may be nested with each other, with the outer surface of the lower part of one member snugly engaged with the inner surface of the upper part of another such member.

5. An adapter for use in a can of the type having in its top a circular groove extending around and spaced slightly radially outwardly from the opening in the top of the can and having a removable top closure with a ridge on the bottom face of the closure adapted to fit in said groove in the top of the can and a corresponding groove in the top face of the closure, said adapter comprising a tubular member open at both ends and formed of a single piece of sheet material shaped to provide a circumferentially continuous and laterally imperforate wall having at its lower end a frusto-conical portion of a size adapted to be thrust into and tightly wedged into a circular opening in the top of a can with which the adapter is to be used, an approximately radially inwardly extending strengthening flange extending circumferentially around said frustoconical portion at the lower end thereof, and an outwardly turned beaded flange extending circumferentially around the upper end of said tubular member, said adapter being characterized by the fact that said beaded flange at the top of the adapter is of a size to fit into and be tightly wedged in said groove in the closure of the can when the closure is removed from the can and turned upside down, so that the closure of the can may be used as a tight closure for the top of the adapter when the bottom of the adapter is tightly wedged into the opening in the top of the can.

6. A construction as defined in claim 5, in which the frusto-conical portion of the adapter which is to be wedged into the opening in the can is formed with a multiplicity of small grooves and ridges extending circumferentially around said frusto-conical portion, for better gripping action against the edges of the opening in the top of the can into which the adapter is wedged.

7. A mixing and pouring adapter for cans, comprising a tubular member open at both ends and formed of a single piece of sheet material shaped to provide a circumferentially continuous and laterally imperforate wall having at its lower end a frusto-conical portion of a size adapted to be thrust into and tightly wedged into a circular opening in the top of a can with which the adapter is to be used, an approximately radially inwardly extending strengthening flange extending circumferentially around said frusto-conical portion at the lower end thereof, and an outwardly turned beaded flange extending circumferentially around the upper end of said tubular member, the irusto-conical portion of the adapter which is to be wedged into the opening in the can being formed with a multiplicity of small grooves and ridges extending circumferentially around said frusto-conical portion, for better gripping action against the edges of the opening in the top of the can into which the adapter is wedged.

8. A mixing and pouring adapter of cans, comprising a tubular member open at both ends and formed of a single piece of sheet material shaped to provide a circumferentially continuous and laterally imperforate wall having at its lower end a frusto-conical portion of a size adapted to be thrust into and tightly wedged into a circular opening in the top of a can with which the adapter is to be used, an approximately radially inwardly extending strengthening flange extending circumferentially around said frusto-conical portion at the lower end thereof, an outwardly turned beaded flange extending circumferentially around the upper end of said tubular member,

5 and a screen member mounted on and retained by said radially inwardly extending flange at the bottom of said frusto-conical portion.

9. The method of making a generally frusto-conical tubular sheet metal member adapted to be thrust into and wedged tightly into a circular opening in the top of a can, which comprises the steps of spinning a piece of sheet metal against a chuck having substantially straight frusto-conical sides, manipulating a tool having a relatively small pointed end against the piece of sheet met-a1 while spinning it to form the sheet metal substantially to the shape of said frusto-conical sides of the chuck and to form the outer face of the resulting frutso-conical portion of the sheet metal with a multiplicity of circumferentially extending minute grooves and ridges so that said frustoconical portion of the sheet metal will have better gripping action against the edges of a circular opening in the top of a can into which the sheet metal member is thrust and wedged, and forming at least one strengthening flange extending circumferentially around said sheet metal member at one end thereof.

10. As a new article of manufacture, a mixing and pouring extension member of sheet metal comprising a generally frusto-conical hollow body with imperforate side walls, adapted to be thrust into a tightly wedged in a circular opening in the top of a can with which the extension member is to be used, said member being characterized by the fact that there is a strengthening flange extending circumferentially around said hollow body at least at one end thereof, and being further characterized by the fact that the inner surface of the side walls of said hollow body is substantially smooth in an axial direction and the outer surface of that part of the hollow body which is to engage the top of a can is formed with a multiplicity of small ridges and grooves extending circumferentially around said body, for better gripping engagement with the can.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,023,962 4/1912 Rahn 72-83 2,315,250 3/1943 Eilers 222-567 2,645,382 7/1953 Plough 222567 2,837,256 6/ 1958 Daner 222-570 X FOREIGN PATENTS 371,482 5/1929 Italy.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Examiner. 

1. A MIXING AND POURING ADAPTER FOR CANS, COMPRISING A TUBULAR MEMBER FORMED OF A SINGLE PIECE OF SHEET METAL OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM THICKNESS OPEN AT OPPOSITE ENDS AND FORMED WITH AN IMPERFORATE FRUSTO-CONICAL CAN ENGAGING PORTION AT ONE END, AN IMPERFORATE FRUSTO-CONICAL OUTER END PORTION AT THE OPPOSITE END, AND AN INTERMEDIATE SUBSTANTIALLY RADIAL FLANGE PORTION JOINING THE INNER END OF SAID CAN ENGAGING PORTION TO THE LARGER SIZED INNER END OF THE OUTER END PORTION, SAID CAN ENGAGING PORTION HAVING THE INNER END OF LARGER TRANSVERSE DIMENSION THAN THE OUTER END AND HAVING A TAPERED WALL PORTION EXTENDING BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER ENDS FOR ENGAGING IN A CAN OPENING OF PREDETERMINED SIZE WITH THE OUTER SMALLER END OF SAID CAN ENGAGING PORTION EXTENDING THROUGH THE OPENING IN SAID CAN, SAID TAPERED WALL ENGAGING SAID CAN AROUND THE INNER EDGE OF THE OPENING THEREIN AND THE INNER END OF SAID CAN ENGAGING PORTION HAVING A SLIGHTLY LARGER TRANSVERSE DIMENSION THAN THE CAN OPENING SO THE CAN ENGAGING PORTION MAY BE WEDGED IN THE CAN THROUGH THE OPENING THEREIN WITH THE OUTER END PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THE CAN, SAID CAN ENGAGING END PORTION BEING FORMED WITH AN INWARDLY EXTENDING RADIAL FLANGE AND A FOLDED FILTER MEMBER HAVING THE MARGINAL PORTIONS AT OPPOSITE ENDS EMBRACING OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FLANGE AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OVER A SEGMENT OF THE OPENING IN SAID CAN ENGAGING END PORTION. 